Surgical girdle and panty



April 18, 1967' E. c. CHAMPAGNE ETAL SURGICAL GIRDLE AND PANTY Filed May10, 1965 United States Patent M 3,314,433 SURGICAL GIRDLE AND PANTYEmory C. Champagne, Woodbridge, and Thomas .I. McGuire, New Haven,Conn., assignors to The Berger Brothers Company, New Haven, Conn., acorporation of Connecticut Filed May 10, 1965, Ser. No. 454,525 3Claims. (Cl. 128-520) This invention relates generally to the field ofsurgical garments, and more particularly to an improved type resemblingin many respects conventional foundation-type garments, but havingincorporate-d therein means for ameliorating chronic back problems.

It is among the principal objects of the present invention to provide animproved garment of this type incorporating a pelvic support whichtightens around the trochanter of a wearer.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improvedsurgical garment including a single support element which not onlyprovides pelvic support, but which extends upwardly therefrom to supportthe back of the wearer as well.

Yet another object of the invention lies in the provi-.

sion of an improved surgical girdle which may simultaneously offersupport to the back of a wearer and abdominal uplift.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of an improvedsurgical girdle in which the cost of fabrication may be of a reasonablylow order, with consequent wide sale, distribution, and use.

A feature of the invention lies in the provision of relatively inelasticfront and back panels which are separated by elastic panels, so thatmaximum support is obtained with substantial comfort.

These objects and features, as well as other incidental ends andadvantages, will more fully appear in the progress of the followingdisclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, to which reference will be made in the specification,similar reference characters have been employed to designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of the invention,the same being in partially opened condition to show detail.

FIGURE 2 is a similar rear elevational view, showing the side oppositethat seen in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view showing a modified form of theembodiment.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary enlarged transverse sectional view as seenfrom the plane 44 in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary enlarged transverse sectional view as seenfrom the plane 5-5 in FIGURE 4.

In accordance with the principal embodiment of the invention, thedevice, generally indicated by reference character 10, comprisesbroadly: a resilient element 11, a back panel element 12, a front panelelement 13, and left and right tensioning elements 14 and 15,respectively.

The resilient element 11 is of generally tubular configuration and isformed from well-known materials having a degree of elasticity in eachof two perpendicular directions. It includes an upper portion 17 havinga pair of leg portions :18 and 19 extending downwardly there from, theleg portions 18 and 19 being interconnected by a crotch portion 20,preferably of non-resilient material.

' The upper portion 17 is bounded by an overlapping upper edge 21 toprovide means for donning the garment. The leg portions 18 and 19 areeach provided with elastic rings 22 and 23 at the lower edges thereof.Depending from the inner surface of the leg portions 18 and 19 aregarter members 26, 27, 28 and 29 of well-known type.

3,314,433 Patented Apr. 18, 1967 Extending downwardly from the upperedge 21 are short boning members 30 and 31 for preventing edgeroll-over, as is well-known in the art.

The back panels element 12 overlies the resilient element 11 at thedorsal areas of the wearer and is formed of non-resilient textilematerial. As best seen in FIGURE 2, the element 12 includes a planarpanel 34 bounded by an upper edge 35, a lower edge 36, and verticaledges 37 and 38. Adjacent the edges 37 and 38 are covers 39 and 40,respectively, enclosing relatively heavy steel members 41 and 42,respectively. As will more fully appear hereinbelow, when the tensioningelements 14 and 15 are placed in tension, the entire panel 34 becomessemi-rigid, and urges the steels 41 and 42 against the back of thewearer, wherein the same is maintained in a more upright positionrelieving muscle spasm from the back.

The front panel element 13 includes a non-elastic panel 46 bounded by anupper edge 47, vertical side edges 48 and 49, converging edge portions50 and 51 and a curved lower edge 52 which interconnects with the crotchpiece 20.

The edge 48 incorporates a light boning extending from the upper edge 47to a lower terminal 57. A centrally positioned cover 58 incorporatessimilar light boning from an upper end 56 to a lower terminal 60.

The side edge 49 is selectively interconnected to the resilient element11 vertically downward to the point indicated by reference character 62,and is provided with a slide fastener tape 63 and well as hooks 64. Theunderlying corresponding edge 65 is provided with eye members 66, and acorresponding slide fastener tape 67 underlies the tape 63. A shortstrip of material 68 underlies the eye members 66 to prevent cutting ofthe wearer, the same being interconnected by a line of stitches 69.Relatively light boning 70 corresponds to the boning member 55, theboning members 55, 59 and 70 contributing to abdomen support.

The elements 14 and 15 are similar and symmetrically positioned, andaccordingly a detailed description of one of said elements will serveequally well to describe the other. The element 14 includes a rearplanar member 72 bounded by a vertical edge 73, an upper curved edge 74,a lower curved edge 75, and a forward curved edge 76. As best seen inFIGURE 2, the arrangement of the material comprising the member 72 issuch that the cloth runs on the straight with respect to the upper edge74 and on a bias with respect to the edge 75, thereby effectivelypreventing distortion of the lower edge 75 when the tensioning elementis under tension. This distortion would otherwise occur in the generallytriangularly-shaped area generally indicated by reference character 77.Extending forwardly from the area 77 is a tab area 78 which ispreferably padded.

Overlying the tab area 78 is a first planar member 79 bounded by avertical stitched edge 80, a vertical free edge 81, a curved upper edge82, and a curved lower edge 83. The free edge 81 engages one end of eachof first and second adjustable straps 84 and 85 which are threadedthrough retaining buckles 86 secured to the rear member 72. The freeends 87 of the straps 84 and 85 are threaded through loops 88 as bestseen in FIG- URE 1.

When the garment has been donned as seen in FIG- URES 1 and 2, thestraps 84 and 85 of each of the elements 14 and 15 are individuallyadjusted for maximum comfort and effective control; Tension istransmitted through the elements 14 and 15 to result in rigidifying theback panel element 12, and materially stiffen the front panel element13. At the sides of the wearer, pressure is only experienced at thetrochanter, an effect which physicians have found helpful in relievingpain.

Turning now to the alternate form of the invention illustrated inFIGURES 3 and 4, parts corresponding to those of the principal form havebeen designated by similar reference characters with the additionalsuffix a.

The embodiment shown in FIGURE 3 differs from the principal form in theelimination of the pantie structure at the lower portion of the garment,the resilient tubular element terminating in a continuous lower edge 91which covers the pelvis of the wearer but terminates above the crotcharea thereof, this embodiment being particularly suited where resilientcontrol of the thighs of the wearer is not required.

We wish it to be understood that we do not consider the inventionlimited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in thisspecification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled inthe art to which the invention pertains.

' We claim:

1. A surgical-type girdle comprising: a resilient tubular elementadapted to enclose the lower trunk of a wearer, a back panel element ofsubstantially non-resilient material overlying said tubular element, andhaving a pair of steels incorporated along the vertically disposed sideedges thereof, a front panel element of substantially non-resilientmaterial interconnecting portions of said tubular element, and first andsecond tensioning elements interconnecting said front and back panelelements on each side of the tubular element; said tensioning elementseach including first and second planar members connected to said frontand back'panel elements, respectively, said first and second planarmembers being mutually interconnected by a plurality of strap means,each of which is individually adjustable.

2. A surgical-type girdle comprising: a resilient tubular elementadapted to enclose the lower trunk of a wearer, a back panel element ofsubstantially non-resilient material overlying said tubular element, andhaving a pair of steels incorporated along the vertically disposed sideedges thereof, a'front panel element of substantially non-resilientmaterial interconnecting portions of said tubular element, and first andsecond tensioning elements interconnecting said front and back panelelements on each side of the tubular element; said tensioning elementseach including first and second planar members connected to said frontand back panel elements, respectively, said first and second planarmembers being mutually interconnected by a plurality of strap means,each of which is individually adjustable; said resilient tubular elementterminating in a continuous lower edge disposed above the crotch area ofa wearer.

3. A surgical-type girdle comprising: a resilient tubular elementadapted to enclose the lower trunk of a wearer, a back panel element ofsubstantially non-resilient material overlying said tubular element, andhaving a pair of steels incorporated along the vertically disposed sideedges thereof, a front panel element of substantially non-resilientmaterial interconnecting portions of said tubular element, and first andsecond tensioning elements interconnecting said front and back panelelements on each side of the tubular element, said tensioning elementseach including first and second planar members connected to said frontand back panel elements, respectively, said first and second planarmembers being mutually interconnected by a plurality of strap means,each of which is individually adjustable; said resilient tubular elementforming a pantie including separate leg-enclosing members at a lowerportion thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,220,271 3/1917Pitcan 128552 1,798,368 3/1931 Camp 128552 2,680,848 6/1954 Hannes etal. 128-552 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,033,067 4/ 1953' France.

ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

1. A SURGICAL-TYPE GIRDLE COMPRISING: A RESILIENT TUBULAR ELEMENTADAPTED TO ENCLOSE THE LOWER TRUNK OF A WEARER, A BACK PANEL ELEMENT OFSUBSTANTIALLY NON-RESILIENT MATERIAL OVERLYING SAID TUBULAR ELEMENT, ANDHAVING A PAIR OF STEELS INCORPORATED ALONG THE VERTICALLY DISPOSED SIDEEDGES THEREOF, A FRONT PANEL ELEMENT OF SUBSTANTIALLY NON-RESILIENTMATERIAL INTERCONNECTING PORTIONS OF SAID TUBULAR ELEMENT, AND FIRST ANDSECOND TENSIONING ELEMENTS INTERCONNECTING SAID FRONT AND BACK PANELELEMENTS ON EACH SIDE OF THE TUBULAR ELEMENT; SAID TENSIONING ELEMENTSEACH INCLUDING FIRST AND SECOND PLANAR MEMBERS CONNECTED TO SAID FRONTAND BACK PANEL ELEMENTS, RESPECTIVELY, SAID FIRST AND SECOND PLANARMEMBERS BEING MUTUALLY INTERCONNECTED BY A PLURALITY OF STRAP MEANS,EACH OF WHICH IS INDIVIDUALLY ADJUSTABLE.